In the Constitution of India, which Constitutional Amendment Act specifically deals with the disqualification of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) on the ground of defection?

Introduction / Context:
The question asks about the specific Constitutional Amendment Act that introduced clear provisions for the disqualification of Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies on the ground of defection. This is an important topic in Indian Polity as it relates to party discipline, stability of governments, and the anti defection law which every competitive exam frequently tests. Understanding which amendment did what helps you remember the major constitutional changes in a structured way.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are dealing with the Constitution of India.
• The focus is on disqualification of MPs and MLAs.
• The ground of disqualification is defection from a political party.
• Options mention various Constitutional Amendment Acts by number.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recall which amendment introduced the anti defection provisions. The anti defection law is mainly contained in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. This schedule was not part of the original Constitution. It was added later through a specific Constitutional Amendment Act that came in the mid nineteen eighties. Candidates must link the Tenth Schedule with the correct amendment number and year, and then eliminate the remaining options which correspond to other reforms like the mini Constitution, reservation extensions or other structural changes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the anti defection law is contained in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Step 2: Remember that the Tenth Schedule was added by the Fifty Second Constitutional Amendment Act in the year 1985. Step 3: The Fifty Second Amendment laid down when an elected member is considered to have defected, such as voluntarily giving up membership of a party or voting contrary to the party whip without permission. Step 4: Therefore, the amendment that specifically deals with disqualification of MPs and MLAs on grounds of defection is the 52nd Amendment Act. Step 5: Compare with other amendments in the options to make sure they refer to different subjects and not the anti defection law.

Verification / Alternative check:
A simple memory check method is to pair the number fifty two with the phrase anti defection and Tenth Schedule. Many standard polity textbooks and exam notes list the 52nd Amendment Act of 1985 as the one that inserted the Tenth Schedule. Cross reference with the fact that a later amendment, the Ninety First Amendment Act, further strengthened the anti defection framework but did not originally introduce it. This confirms that the 52nd Amendment is the correct answer for the first appearance of the anti defection law.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 42nd Amendment Act: Known as the mini Constitution. It made wide ranging changes in 1976 including changes in Preamble, Directive Principles and powers of the Supreme Court, but it did not introduce the Tenth Schedule on defection.
• 62nd Amendment Act: Mainly associated with extension of reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, not with disqualification for defection.
• 32nd Amendment Act: This amendment relates to certain special provisions for some states and is not connected with the anti defection law.
• 44th Amendment Act: This amendment rolled back several provisions of the 42nd Amendment and strengthened civil liberties and emergency provisions, but did not insert the Tenth Schedule.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners confuse the 42nd and 52nd Amendments because both are famous and both numbers sound similar. Another common mistake is to assume that a very prominent amendment like the 42nd, called the mini Constitution, must automatically be the answer for anything structural. Relying on guesswork like that often leads to errors. It is better to create small mental associations, for example: 10th Schedule, anti defection, 52nd Amendment, year 1985, to lock the idea clearly in memory.

Final Answer:
The Constitutional Amendment Act that deals with disqualification of MPs and MLAs on the ground of defection is the 52nd Amendment Act.